The End Of DRM Is Near

It looks like the end of DRM is near. First, let’s all take the time to congratulate Apple and EMI for being gutsy enough to offer DRM-free music. Talk about kicking the RIAA right in the shins and it’s amusing to see “friends” turning against one another (RIAA vs. Apple/EMI) to fulfill our demands. It’s always pleasant to experience that. Now that Apple offers a DRM-free section on iTunes, I can’t be excited enough.

Moving on, the recent news to hit the wires is Blu-ray and HD DVD’s decision to let users legally copy their discs. Granted this option comes with restrictions, but it’s a step in the right direction. It won’t be long before the MPAA has to give up its less than adequately supported fight against mainstream consumers. Needless to say, we are witnessing history in the making right before our eyes. Welcome back, Napster!

Hopefully, Apple and EMI’s partnership has given a sigh of relief to the rest of the music industry that’s so obsessed with “protecting” its artists. Yeah, right! And now, we should gradually expect others to follow shortly. They will have to.

Similarly, the MPAA is in a similar position as well. Sure, you can limit copying today, but how long will it be before it will go down the RIAA’s path to failure?

However, as much as I enjoy speculating the RIAA and MPAA’s demise, it’s time for us, as users, to wake up as well. We need to make sure we don’t go back to the Napster days. We need to be responsible citizens who are truly using this newfound liberty for the right reasons. If the pirating gets worse, which is very likely, and the aforementioned agencies get back in power, we’ll have no one but ourselves to blame. I especially mean that for the few of you who are heavy uploaders. It’s the few that ruin it for everybody.

With that said, let’s enjoy the downfall of DRM-based media, but also get ready to act responsibly when these thresholds come crumbling down.

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